Volume XXXVIII Winter Issue

ACF Award Dinner

The American Culinary Federation Minneapolis Chefs Chapter's 2009 Award Dinner was held at Oak Ridge Conference in Chaska on November 24th.
F & B Director Bill Niemer, Executive Chef Virgil Emmert & Executive Pasty Chef Gary Hjellming and staff prepared and served a remarkable and memorable meal.
This years awards dinner was the year of the member. With recognition of 51 members of the ACF with at least 10 years of membership. With four members having more than 35 years; Charles Duberstein, CEC, AAC, Jeff Larson, CEC, AAC, Thomas Moore, and Boy Toy, CEC, AAC.
The chapter also recognized 16 companies that became members at the Local Supporting Associate Membership. You can view these companies on a new chapter website page.

Awards and Scholarships~
                 Chef of the Year ~ Chris Sturzl, CSCE, CEC, CCE
                 Educator of the Year ~ Dan Vasterling, CEC
                 Student Culinarian of the Year ~ Jordan Gifford
                 C.H.E.F.F.Y (Member of the Year)~ Mark Good
                 Max Kurnow Scholarship ~ Lisa Berg
                 Sandra Berg Scholarship ~ Lynn Marie Neidermire
                 ACF/ MCC Scholarship ~ Anthony Cordoba
                 US Food Service Scholarship ~ Dan Greer

Thanks to the following companies for their donations to this years awards dinner.

Bix Produce
Metro Ice
Premier
Ameripride
Cheese Cave
Bake Mark
US Foodservice
AV to You
Reinhart Foodservice
Iowa Capons
American Fish
Stockyards
North American Bison
Excel Marketing
Hockenberg Newberg
Albert Uster
New Chef Fashion
LeMire Sale
Maple Leaf Farms

2009 Chef of the Year ACF Minneapolis Chef’s Chapter

Chris Sturzl, CSCE, CEC, CCE culinary instructor at Champlin Park was the recipient of this years Chef of the Year of the Minneapolis Chef's Chapter. Chef Struzl has been a member of the chapter since 1998. He has served as sergeant at arms and is currently Co-Chair of the Chef & Child. This was the third year that Chef Sturzl was involved with the Learning Begins at Breakfast campaign that helped educate over 1,000 kids this year on the importance of starting the day with a  healthy breakfast.

Feast of the Golden Fork Benefit 8 Course Wine Dinner

The Feast of the Fellowship of the Golden Fork Benefit is a mouthful ...and so is this huge feast! It really is dream of a dinner with an elegant menu created by ACF chefs donating their time and all food and wine for a playful, fun feast for guests with the church choir members serving everyone as well . . . All thanks to the vision of Father Jim Wolnik at Holy Childhood, who loves to cook and hooked up with chef teachers and friends from the ACF/ MCC. Chef Jeff LaBeau, CEC, AAC will once again be the chair for the Feast of the Golden Fork.
It will be held February 13th, 2010 at Church of the Holy Childhood, 1435 Midway Parkway, St. Paul, MN 55108. Contact Jeff to volunteer.

ACF Certification

A list of recently ACF certified and recertified chefs is now available on the ACF Web site and can be searched by specific ACF chapter. You can also access this information by visiting your chapter's Web site. 
 A Quest for Certification
Did you know that ACF has a tool to help you determine which certification is right for you? The Certification Requirements Grid will direct you to the certification level that best reflects your educational background and work experience. Please contact certify@acfchefs.net with any of your certification questions.

Also check for upcoming practical testing at Chapter web page Certification Page.

ACF Minneapolis Chef’s Chapter Website

We are looking forward to another great year of ACF / MCC meetings and events. Our first meeting of 2010 will be January 26, 2010 at Hilton Airport, 3800 American Blvd East, Bloomington hosted by Chef Eric Baker. Log in to the website and register now for the meeting. While there update your profile, check out the new supporting associate members page, or post something on the Chef Talk page.